I hear ya man. The vests get very bothersome after a while and for me I have painful gynecomastia and it sucks. But, it makes it look much better. As for the breathing part I understand the vests can make you literally feel like your suffercating. That sucks about not getting the operation in time, that happened to me as well. Have you tried wearing the vest backwards. I did that and it helped a bit. I just turn it around and that helps with the breathing part. As for wearing it, I would it helps the appearance. Loss or crappy breathing means nothing to me but, when I wear the vest I feel semi-normal besides the pain. Anyways I would wear it to school until you get the operation. Thats what I am going to do. I hope you get your operation asap. This dam* gyne sucks and living with it is hard. But, don't you also feel like closer to normal when you are wearing the vest. The vest makes me feel a little better and eases my patientce. I don't blame you for becoming dependant on it. When I got mine and saw the difference it was like holy crap. But, again I suggest still wearing it and ease up a bit. The breathing patterns are worth it for the short while until you get the op. I would rather have the breathing problems than one more sob come up to me and say titties. Gyne has messed so many people up so bad. People without gyne that take everything for granted could never understand what it is like to live with gyne and wake up with it everyday. Basically you can go to school wearing the vest with a flat appearance and wear it until you get the op and come back to school healed up and flat and no one will know the difference. I don't blame you for gyne being on the brain a lot. I as well want to put it all behind me and it has taken so long. But, just hold out a little longer and it will be done. And remember once it is done you most likely won't have to go back to this stage in your life. I wouldn't say your breathing patterns are messed up though it is probably all anxietys and worries tied in with wearing a tight piece of clothing. Man that sucks though not getting your op in time. I swear to everyone if I went back to school feeling good again with no more moobs I would feel like a million bucks and wouldn't worry anymore. Or think is anyone looking at my chest or being paranoid all day. Although things have gotten better ever since 11th grade and this year in 12th grade things may be better plus sometime early this year I will get the op. Think about it this way once your op is done nothing will hold you back. A lot of people say and think gyne doesn't hold you back. But, that is a load of bs. In my opinion you can get less respect from people, bs, it can hurt your job performance, love life, and everything else. You see those guys with beer guts and never think anything twice. But, when people see a guy with breasts many of them think twice. A lot of people would say what I just said is bs but, I have experienced a lot of it as well as others first hand. I even had girls talk down about my gyne as hard as that is to believe. I am sure you had many bad moments as well. Many people never saw gyne as a good thing and I as well think it isn't a good thing. When are you going back to school? I got to go back the first. I don't get it though we go back on a thursday and on a labor day week. Doesn't really make sense. But, the only thing I am worried about is the kids that are going to be in my classes this year plus, I get out early. When you sit down and you think about it the only anxietys you really get at school are from certain kids. If all the kids I hated and avoided didn't go to my school nothing would worry me and I would want to go back everyday. But, I don't care anymore. One thing I am glad about though is I didn't put off my upcoming operation. I want and need it done as soon as possible. I will never live another year with this crap again. You just think back and remember what bs you went through and how this affected everyday of your life so dang long. If I had a dollar for every gyne comment I ever recieved I would have paid for the operation long ago. I guess you can never let it go. But, the money you spend on the op is worth everyday of the rest of your life waking up and feeling good. I can't wait you can't wait and some day for each of us it will be over. Hang in there man bear it out with the vest because it is helping in its own way. Don't panic, get your operation and life your life to the fullest. I wish you the best of luck on your operation and going back to school. I hope you have a good school year and I hope the gyne op turns out for the best for ya.